Virtual Reality

There's no doubt that 2016 is the year of big promise for virtual reality.
While the technology is still maturing, this will be the first year that users have access to affordable VR technology in the home, including the $100 Gear VR headset that was released during the last week of 2015. Other upcoming, highly-anticipated releases include Oculus Rift, Sony PlayStation VR, and the HTC Vive, which have all already begun pre-orders and will start shipping in March (Oculus), May (HTC), and October (Sony). Microsoft HoloLens AR; is the biggest contender in augmented reality and they have also begun shipping developer kits early this year.

As a product designer focused on user experience, I've had the ability to witness the evolution of two of the newest virtual reality devices: Google Cardboard and Oculus Rift. The verdict? Both offer engaging VR experiences that highlight key differences in product design from parent companies Google and Facebook.

At Yeti, we build a lot of digital products for businesses. We’ve crafted complex analytics applications, weather crowdsourcing software, and career services platforms. But working on Chelsea Handler: Gotta Go brought out our fun side, and we’ve recently been working on another game prototype: a virtual reality game called Tiny Eye, inspired by a classic childhood game.